Current legislation requires the use of contained piping systems when transporting contaminants underground. This legislation is particularly applicable to the fuel handling market. Fuel, e.g., gasoline, is stored underground in tanks and is then piped to the overground fuel pumps. To prevent contamination of the surrounding ground, the legislation requires that a secondary pipe is used to encase the main pipe and contain any leakage from the main pipe. As a result, since the tank is at a low point in the system, any leakage contained in the secondary pipe flows, due to gravity, back to the tank. Such systems are sometimes referred to as dual containment systems.
This legislation has given rise to the need for a secondary piping system which is easy to install and is economical. A substantial portion of the cost of these systems is driven by the technique used to join the secondary pipes forming the containment system. Therefore, a joining technique for joining the secondary pipes which does not require the use of many specially manufactured parts or specially skilled labor and is easy to apply would be economical. The present invention is such a technique.